China Halves Its Tuberculosis Cases, Giving Other Countries Hope

Experts say that China's progress backs up a WHO-devised aggressive treatment program

China has cut the number of tuberculosis cases among its citizens by more than 50 percent in the last 20 years by adopting an aggressive treatment program recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), a new report in The Lancet reveals.

According to experts, the results serve as proof that tuberculosis can be eliminated if states apply the program, which has rapid detection and cure of tuberculosis patients at its core.

China is one of the biggest contributors to the global tuberculosis burden, accounting for 11 percent of the world’s tuberculosis cases. India, Russia and many African countries are also dealing with tuberculosis on a significant scale.